


The Dress

by UnfairestOfThemAll (lithiungirl08)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Acceptance, Coming of Age, Established Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, F/F, Family Dynamics, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship, Self-Acceptance, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-09-26 23:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20397700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lithiungirl08/pseuds/UnfairestOfThemAll
Summary: Revisions: To everyone that read this story in 2019, thank you! To anyone reading it in 2020 it has been thoroughly and completely overhauled to be the story it was always meant to be. May it be a light of hope. To the family that should have been and will be.~UnfairestOfThemAllRegina makes an accidental discovery. Sworn to silence, Regina must navigate this new landscape sans Emma. Follow Henry's journey through Regina's eyes. Experience the nuances of parenthood, and the revelation that will reveal everyone's true colors.





	The Dress

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Dress Fanmix](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473262) by [A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter). 

> Updated Notes: I finally found the courage to tell the real story. 
> 
> This would not have been possible without any of the following; SereneQueen72 and DelicateBalance for offering their Beta services. Everyone on the discord server, Errols Feather, Stega_VonDrachen, Laurathechef84 for sticking with me as I navigate unfamiliar territory.
> 
> Last but not least, mmd7z for making this story everything it was meant to be. I am endlessly inspired by your wisdom and grace. How you pull on the threads woven through a story to bring everything to its best self.

Stealing away into the vault was easy. Fortunately for him, there had been enough times where Regina wanted him to bring her a magical object that she decided he needed his own set of keys. Placing a hand against the stone of his Grandfather’s tomb, Henry bowed his head with respect before descending into the belly of the vault. Every step took him closer to his dream. Emma was working overnight at the station, and Regina would not be home until this evening. Henry estimated that he had about an hour, perhaps two before he’d get a phone call from her.

Deftly avoiding the basket of vipers, Henry took the last turn on the left. It is here that he paused, and pulled on the secret damask symbol that granted entrance. As he stepped through the doorway, the room came alive with light. He immediately was drawn to some of Regina’s most powerful (and favorite) books, especially Cora’s spellbook, which was prominently displayed on a standalone shelf. But they had nothing to do with the purpose of Henry’s visit. Stripping himself of the grey peacoat and his red and grey scarf, he walked past the books, shivering at power he could feel emanating from them, and stood in front of the floor-length mirror. 

Shaggy brown hair that never lay right continued to defy the boy. It usually reminded him of Neal, but for now; Henry ignored it the best he could. He liked the way his hazel eyes sparkled in the mirror; how certain colors of clothes created the illusion of a blue/grey color when the lighting was right. Next, his eyes fell to his nose … a feature he wished were smaller, a size that fit his facial structure the way his Mothers’ noses did. And teeth … his Mothers also had perfect teeth; their smiles, especially their special Henry-only smile, lit up their face and perfectly suited them. He faked a toothy smile for the mirror and found it acceptable.

If Henry really wanted to go through with this, he’d better hurry. All this time staring in the mirror was costing him dearly; time was slipping through his fingers. Taking a deep breath, Henry Daniel Mills walked to the other side of Cora’s spellbook, and took an unsteady step towards the item he came for; it was time to begin his task. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first pinging from her cell phone interrupted the call the Mayor was having on her office land-line with Kathryn. With the exception of those breaking-the-curse years of Henry’s childhood, his absences from school had largely been the result of illness (or the now rare portal-jumping villain). As the new Principal of Storybrooke High School, Kathryn was calling to check in on Henry’s welfare, clearly concerned about him of late. 

“He’s starting to drive now,” Regina reasoned. 

“Regina, Henry did not seem like himself. It was more than feeling ill. If there is bullying or something going on in my school, I want to know about it. I want to eliminate it, and punish those responsible.” 

“Something we can both agree on. I will speak to him soon.” 

“Thank you, Regina,” Kathryn replied, and hung up before Regina could respond in kind.

Hearing another chime of her cell phone, Regina’s attention was drawn away from her disconcerting conversation with Kathryn. Someone was in her vault, and she wanted to know who had the audacity to risk it. Grabbing the compact looking glass tucked in the top right drawer in her desk, she waved her hand over the surface. If the intruder was a magic user, she knew that they could potentially block her from viewing them. But as it was, this individual was not. Rather, much to her surprise, Henry was staring right through her. His eyes were sad, yet hardened in a way that she’d never seen before as she watched Henry’s gaze slowly move down over his reflection.

Given Kathryn’s concern, and with a seemingly distressed Henry alone in the vault, Regina knew it was time to have a heart-to-heart with her son. Placing the looking glass in its rightful home drawer, the Mayor fought off the urge to teleport to the vault, instead, reached into the bottom drawer for her purse and car keys. Henry did not seem in imminent danger, and this wasn’t the first time he sought out the solitude and safety of the vault. Several minutes of driving time would give Regina some breathing room as she sped off in his direction.

Not believing in the gods of her old world nor the gods of this one, Regina simply wished for wisdom to console her only child. Come whatever may.

\---------------------------------------------

Henry quietly stripped off his jeans and t-shirt, neatly folding them on a nearby bench. Staring back into the mirror, he hoped that his tall and skinny frame would work, although the fact that he was taller than his Mother made him a bit nervous. He had painstakingly found the one evening where their schedules would actually allow him this time alone without raising their suspicions. It was now or never, even if everything wasn’t perfect. 

Henry took a deep breath and stepped back, worried that his time in front of the mirror had wasted precious time needed to carry out his plan. Everything had to go according to plan. His next steps were tentative, palms sweating. He’s been dreaming of this moment, plotting an epic operation, and now he was so close to seeing it through. His hands extended to the object of his quest, but clumsily, it slipped through his grip and onto the floor. 

Undeterred, he grabbed it again. This was his moment, and he would not leave it unfinished. 

\-------------------------------------------------

When Regina pulled up to the Mills Family Mausoleum, the first thing she noticed was that the vault’s door was safely sealed from intruders. Parking the car, Regina made her way to find her son. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the open stairway – Henry was definitely still here. After leaving a kiss transferred from her fingertips to her Father’s resting place, she descended the stairs, only to find the main level of her vault void of life. Nothing appeared disturbed, save a footprint left on the dusty floor. Heading toward her private wing, Regina paused just outside the open doorway and peered into the room. 

Henry stood gazing into the mirror, just as Regina had found him earlier. Well, not entirely the same. For a woman who rarely finds herself surprised, this is certainly one of those rare moments indeed. Crossing the threshold, Henry was so focused that he did not know that she was now in the room with him. She had to hand it to him, Henry was certainly her son. So goal-driven that he often had tunnel vision, missing everything around him. 

Henry sighed deeply, pausing in his attempt to finish what he started, but desperately needing assistance. 

“Henry…” She startled him, the crimson dress falling to the floor. Through the mirror, his hazel eyes were awash with fear, his cheeks flushed with shame. For once in Henry's life, words escaped him. 

His heart had been already beating hard at the fact of what he was actually going to do this. Even though the dress was not yet on, the sight of it pooled at his feet, preparing to be worn, sent a thrill through him. A terrifyingly wonderful thrill. It was as if he was finally accepting a part of himself, a self-actualization that took his breath away.

Now, only terror remained. Regina’s face seemed like an unreadable mask, which was more terrifying than he imagined. Or, precisely as he imagined, which was why Henry planned to do this in the privacy and protection of the vault and not at home. God, he was such an idiot to think his Mom did not have this place under some kind of surveillance or a protection spell. 

Then, Regina did something he hadn’t expected as a gentle smile graced her lips. “A true Prince ... or Princess … allows others to dress them,” 

Coming up behind her son, Regina did the only thing she could think to do, and helped Henry pull up the dress. After it easily cleared his hips, Regina discretely magically altered the sleeves to accommodate her teenage son’s long arms. She untucked the neckline which folded in on itself, and adjusted the trim on her corset before lacing up the back of the dress. In the mirror Henry’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. 

“Mom,” His voice breaking. 

She shushed him, and placed a kiss on the back of his head. “Just breathe,” 

He exhaled, as a flurry of emotions hit him all at once. Staring in the mirror, he saw himself dressed in one of her vault-preserved dresses, its crimson color matching his flushed cheeks, its black lace corset trailing across the breast down to his abdomen, the lacing of the corset providing some curves. Mirrored behind him, Henry had the perfect view of his Mother’s calm, loving, and accepting face. If time should have taught him anything, there really was nothing he could do to shake his mother’s unfailing love for him. 

“I don’t know if I can,” 

She met his eyes in the mirror. “Did you think I would be upset?” 

“Best case scenario,” He confessed, shrugging his shoulders, his hands stroking the velvety material, which felt wonderful on his skin. It was all so new, and with his Mother’s assistance, it was as if it was made just for him. 

“Does it look the way you imagined?” 

With her question, Henry turned back to take a good look at himself. The way the material pooled at his feet, how the dress was made to hug curves that Henry did not have. He can see the pale skin of his flat chest through the black lace, although the sleeves fit like a second skin. All deliberate moves by his Mother on his behalf. 

“Not exactly,”

“Come, sit at my vanity.” She directs, and Henry finds that his nerves have settled a bit. Not completely, but enough to move. His first steps were tentative, the gown flowed behind him. Regina pulled out the bench from under the Queen’s vanity, and for the first time since she entered the vault, Henry and Regina were standing face to face. Right now, he looked every bit a scared little boy, anxiously awaiting her reaction. She lightly stroked his cheek. 

“What kind of Mother would I be if I did not support my child?” 

She cupped his chin and pressed her lips against his forehead. Lingering, as she felt the first of many tears kiss her fingertips. His arms wrapped around her waist, as Regina, catching a glimpse of their reflection, closed her eyes and drew him even nearer. Henry shuddered in the embrace, the tension and fear that he had been holding in for so long finding its release in his Mother’s arms. As his tears dampened her blouse, the only thing keeping her from bursting into tears herself, was her need to solely comfort him. As his body relaxed and his tears slowed, she gave him a squeeze and said, “I have to make sure that you are alright before we start. Rule #1: You don’t want to ruin your make-up.” 

He laughed against her chest, allowing her to wipe away his tears. “This is not at all what I expected.” 

“I do despise predictability,” She said, lightly tapping his nose with one of her make-up brushes. At last, Henry broke into an easy smile, and Regina finally felt like she could breathe. Now she was going to do something that she never thought she would experience, and she intended to enjoy every minute of it … introducing her son to the transforming magic of make-up.

As they went through each new step in the process, she watched as Henry reacted to the feeling of make-up. But he was struggling with the lipstick. Ever resourceful, Regina told Henry “Pretend I just took the Mercedes keys for a week,” and as Henry mimicked the perfect pout, she quickly applied the lipstick to his lips. 

“Are you?” He nervously asked, turning back to admire his painted lips. 

“No,” She chuckled, “but it did the job.”

She motioned for him to lean back so she could apply the eyeliner. Cupping his chin, she frowned “I need you to hold still,” 

“You’re trying to poke me in the eye,” 

“Henry Daniel Mills, don’t be such a drama queen,” She smirked, a slight smile turning up at the corner of her mouth. Holding out the eyeliner, she asked, “Would you like to try?” 

Taking it from his Mom, Henry turned towards the mirror with her assistance. As he moved the eyeliner towards him, he glanced up at her, her hands still lingering on his shoulders. “Did you do this when you were my age?” 

Remembering her childhood always brought mixed feelings to the surface. Honesty was a promise she made to Henry back when the curse broke. Be damned if she went back on her word now. “We had servants to do everything for us. Mother always had so many visitors, which meant that I had to be ready at a moment's notice.” 

Leaning in, he tried to mimic the motions with the pencil that Regina always made. After all, he had often seen her putting on her make-up as they talked about the plans for the day. “You make this look so easy,” Henry stated, frustrated at the bold black line drawn by his clumsy, sweaty, teenaged hand. 

“Years of practice,” Regina assured, watching as Henry finished his right eye. He sat back a little to view his work. Her hands continued to rest securely on his shoulders. “You’re doing great,” 

He swallowed nervously, then continued on the left eye. It tickled his upper eyelid, but Regina stilled his hand when he tried to rub it. A grateful smile beamed her way. Once finished, Henry was surprised at the dramatic effect it had on his eyes. With a nervous smile on his face, Regina applied mascara on one eye, and then guided him as he tried the other eye. After explaining the nuances of applying eye shadow, she repeated the process. 

While the eye she did looked perfect, Henry couldn’t help but notice that his attempt left his eyes quite uneven. They both chuckled while viewing the contrast, but then Regina quickly smoothed it out with magic. “Well, how do I look?” He asks, looking up at her from the bench. 

“Like you’re missing some accessories,” She replied, and with a wave of her hand, a necklace adorned his neck and heeled boots appeared on his feet. Henry stared in awe at the person he saw in the mirror. So familiar and yet, a stranger. That wondrous thrill, that initial sense of self-actualization that had overwhelmed him earlier slowly crept up on him, in ways growing clearer by the minute. 

His Mother watched as Henry frowned at his shaggy brown hair. Reaching for a brush used during her time as Queen, Regina slowly magically transformed his hair from unruly to a slightly curled, chin length bob. Hearing him gasp, she couldn’t help but wonder, Does he like it? Flattening her hand against her abdomen, she quietly asked “Do you approve?” 

“Wow, Mom … it’s … it’s amazing!” 

Taking in the sight of her son, clad in one of her dresses, heels, and make-up, seeing the joy in his face, she couldn’t help but smile. As Henry began to rise, he lost his balance between the weight of the dress and heeled boots. Regina helped steady him a bit, amazed that he now stood a few inches taller than her. 

“If you cry, all our efforts will have been for nothing. Try to stand up straight, it will help with your balance” 

“Posture is self-respect,” Henry jested in a regal tone, and allowed her to help steady his wobbly legs as he went back to the mirror. “I look…”

“Like a Queen?” Her pride in her son is self-evident, her arms are crossed before her as they surveyed their handiwork. Henry's head lowered, as she could see the self-doubt begin to come back. Lifting his chin, she gave him her Henry-only smile, “Keep your chin up. Shoulders back. Eyes straight ahead. Be as proud of who you are as I am of you.” 

Complying, Henry could feel the shift in his energy. Those physical adjustments somehow were working their way into his very being. His eyes found Regina’s, and as she watched the light in Henry’s eyes grow, her smile was somehow even brighter. 

“This is treason isn’t it?” 

Regina laughed softly, “Were you not my son, then yes. I...Henry, I want you to know that no matter what, I am going to love you. If you continue to feel this way going forward, if this is what you want, I want to support you however I can.”

“You did just help me into a dress,” still feeling uncomfortable even saying the words. His greatest fear had been that he would be alone on this journey; that this would be too much to ask someone to understand, little alone to accept. He fought this time and time again. 

Until tonight. 

Henry needed to explore this, to have the freedom to see himself outwardly reflect what he deep down felt inside, to be honest with himself. When he came today, the last thing he expected was that his Mother would be here … not just here, but helping him. When he really thought about it, there was a part of him that absolutely knew that both his Mothers’ love for him was unconditional. Yet he can’t explain why he was so afraid of being hated…of being rejected by them that he didn’t approach either Mother beforehand. He just now knew that he was not alone.

“If it’s more than this,” Regina gently said, taking his hand. “I may not always have the right words, or know the correct ones, but know this. Nothing will never ever change my love for you.” 

“If I cry, I ruin our makeup job,” he said, feeling whole for the first time in a long time. Regina could feel it in Henry too, as surely as his heartbeat. Cupping his chin, she pressed a long kiss to his forehead. Then she took a step back, giving Henry time and space to experience this side of himself, resplendent in his regal gown. As she turned to leave, he called out, “Mom…”

“You don’t need to say anything, Henry. You have always had my whole heart. Nothing today or any other day can or will ever change that.” 

“I wanted to say thank you. I can’t begin to tell you what this means to me,” his voice shaking, eyes brimming with the unshed tears. Yet his heart was beating steadily, his mind clearer than it had been in the weeks and months prior. 

“Mom, can this be our secret, just for now?”

“For however long you require. It is your secret alone to share.” 

As Regina makes her way up the staircase, she could picture Henry taking in his newfound finery, and she let out a deep sigh, unaware that she had been holding her breath. Exiting the mausoleum, Regina slowly breathed in the fresh air, hoping that this would steady her shaking hands. Slowly, the deep breathing calmed her. 

My Sweet, Little Prince. Regina knew that navigating this was going to be tricky for a number of reasons, with the number one issue of not being able to tell her wife, Emma. She didn’t like keeping secrets from her, and if Emma’s superpower kicked in, she’d cross that bridge when it comes. But she’d somehow keep her promise to her son. 

What if he no longer wishes to be a son, but a daughter? 

A bolt from the blue, Regina realized that she had no idea how to help Henry with this. Worse yet, she wanted to turn to her wife, the one person who would understand, someone who could talk her through the unknown, terrifying what-if’s. Worrying about if the citizens of Storybrooke were really as far removed from the Enchanted Forest days gone by, where being caught crossdressing could end in violence. This was when her wife provided alternative ways of looking at things. Her time in foster care had taught Emma about the ugly sides of mankind, but also gave her insight and wisdom into it. 

But Regina would keep her promise. 

As Henry emerged from the vault, he was back in his jeans and t-shirt, make-up still intact. He smiled and gestured towards his face, giving his mother a knowing wink. Shooting a smile his way, with a wave of her fingers, the make-up was gone. Returned was the fresh faced teenager who regularly fought and lost battles with acne. When he smiled back, it made her realize she had not seen that smile in a while. 

Now I understand why. 

“I think I’m going to walk. I’ll see you at home,” Henry called over his shoulder, but was gently coaxed by his Mother for a final hug. 

“Day or night, if you need to talk about this, about anything, I am here for you. Please don’t feel as though you have to go through this alone,” 

Henry remained still in Regina’s arms. “From the time I was three weeks old, I’ve never been alone,” 

Her watery chuckle let him know she was okay. “I love you Henry.”

\----------------------------------------

Mother and son were relieved to find the house empty upon their return. Heading towards the kitchen, Regina tried to ignore the guilty feelings rising in her chest, an uneasiness about keeping this from Emma. There was nothing wrong with Henry exploring this on his own terms, she reasoned. And breaking Henry’s confidence right now would be devastating to him. He’s not in danger, so I’m not withholding information that Emma has a right and a need to know right now. I have to respect Henry’s wishes until he is ready for her to know. 

Sighing deeply, Regina shook her head. This could be nothing to worry about. A phase? Does this have phases? Is it only about wearing women’s clothes? Is there more?

She had all these questions and no one to ask. Henry most likely doesn’t know the answers, and she wants to be there to help him find them. 

Regina was confident that Emma would know some of the answers, or at least had some idea where to look. But for now, she was on her own because she can’t go to the one person she trusted most. This didn’t sit right in her heart of hearts.

Secrets … Damn it, no matter how I paint it, I am lying to Emma.

Emma, like Regina, preferred the truth, straight forward, 100 percent up front. No games or soft-pedaling required. This was a treacherous path the brunette had to navigate if the war within herself was anything to go by. She remembered how it felt keeping Snow’s secret, especially when Emma knew something was going on. She hated it. But Emma understood that it was not her secret to share, and in the end forgave her.

But this is their son …

Still, she prepared dinner as she did most evenings, allowing the music playing softly in the background to calm her racing thoughts. Emma was going to be home from work soon, and she had a teenage son who happily ate double portions at each dinner. Regina enjoyed cooking for their family, and for some reason, it always seemed to provide the respite needed for her to gather her thoughts in a productive way.

During dinner, there was the usual bantering around the table, but Regina couldn’t help but think that the mood seemed a bit off. While Henry was chattering away, Emma seemed a bit quieter than usual. 

“Rough day at the office?” Regina asks, concern for her wife evident in her tone.

Glancing up from her plate, it was clear to Regina why Emma was so quiet. The subtle tension across her forehead indicated that she was fighting a migraine. “I missed most of my shots playing trashcan ball, if that’s what you consider rough,” she muttered, managing a weak smirk. “Sounds like you had a great day, Kid,” 

At once, Regina’s chest tightened, realizing that she must have missed what Henry had said about today. But he did not seem to notice. Rather, he gave Emma a worried smile, watching as she pinched the bridge of her nose. He then looked at Regina, giving her a reassuring smile. But it was Henry’s eyes that captured her attention, the way they shone bright and strong. As clearly evident as at the vault, she felt it again. This is what has been missing. 

“Yeah...yeah, it was a great day. Are you all done, Ma?” He gently asks, motioning towards her plate. 

“Yeah. I ... I need to lie down for a while.”

Excusing herself, Emma headed upstairs, knowing that if she took care of it now, she could avoid a full blown migraine. As they watched her leave, Regina and Henry assured her that they’d take care of the dishes. After all, this mother and son duo had quite a system going for cleaning up after dinner, one honed over years of practice. 

“I hope Ma is okay. She didn’t seem like herself at dinner.” Henry began. 

“A migraine trying to take hold. Don’t worry, Sweetheart, she’s gotten good at heading them off.” Regina hands him the dish to put in the dishwasher. “How are you feeling now that the adrenaline has worn off?” 

The wet plate slips a bit, as he’s taken aback by her question. Henry recovers nicely, saving it from an untimely crash. Placing it into the dishwasher, he turned and enveloped his Mom in a tight hug. As he stepped back, she could see the relief in his face as he whispered, 

“Loved...”

“Henry …”

He gently touched her arm, “Mom … I feel loved.” 

She felt the smile rising on her lips, so grateful that in her son’s time of need, she somehow was given the gift of being there for him in such a meaningful way. But the time she had to sort out her thoughts as she prepared dinner helped her realize that she needed to talk to Henry… about Emma. As Regina handed him the last dish, she turned back to Henry, reassuringly squeezed his arm, and gently said, “Let’s go in the study, so we can talk a bit more.”

\---------------------

Taking a seat, Regina patted the spot next to her on the couch, inviting Henry to sit. Henry frowned as he sat down, “Mom, is everything okay?”

“Yes Henry, it is. I just want you to talk to you about something that’s been on my mind, and I want you to hear me out … Okay?” 

“I’m not in trouble am I?”

Regina smiled, taking his hand, and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“No Sweetheart, it’s nothing like that … Do you remember when Snow asked me to keep her secret about Maleficent’s baby? How it hurt Emma that we were keeping something from her?”

Henry interrupted, asking anxiously, “Mom, are you afraid that Emma’s is going to be mad at you for keeping my secret?”

“No, Henry, I’m not afraid Emma will be mad at me. I was thinking more about why I kept the secret even though it upset Emma.” Regina paused for a moment, eyes drawn back to Henry as he gave her hand a soft squeeze. 

“When Snow confided in me, it was because she trusted me and needed my help. And even though I hated lying to her, hated seeing how it upset her – it wasn’t my place, nor was it my secret to tell – It was between Emma and her parents. And I had to respect that, no matter how much I wanted to say something.”

“And she understood, right? I just remember her being really angry at Grandma and Grandpa. But she wasn’t mad at you.”

“No, she wasn’t. But Henry, I realized tonight that I also have another promise I have to keep. I want to tell you about this other promise, because I have to figure out how I can keep both of them.”

“Am I making you break a promise to Emma by not asking you not to tell?”

“Actually, I was thinking more about a very old, very important promise I made to you,” as she bopped his nose.

“When I became your mother, I fell in love with you immediately. But I also knew that for the first time in a long time, I needed to put someone else’s welfare above mine. That if I was going to be the mother that you needed, if I was going to love you the way you deserved, I had to be willing to set aside my hopes, my worries, my fears, and always try to do what was best for my child – what was best for you. I haven’t always done a good job keeping my promise to you, especially when you first became aware of the curse.” 

Quickly brushing away a tear, she continued, “But Henry, my promise was that I would do whatever I had to do to make sure that you are loved, that you are safe, that you are free to choose who you want to be. Sometimes that meant doing some painful things, like letting you go live with David or sending you to New York – things that broke my heart. But I did them because it was best for you – that’s all that mattered.” 

Cupping his chin, she softly said, “But sometimes doing what’s best for you may also mean that I make a decision that you may not like – because as your mother, it’s also my responsibility to make decisions that you are not ready to make for yourself.”

“Are you worried that what I did today isn’t best for me, that I’m not ready for this?”

Stroking his cheek, she replied, “No, I think you’re ready.” 

Reaching again for his hand, Regina continued, “I know you weren’t ready to share this part of yourself with me or Emma – that you didn’t choose for me to be there – But Henry, I'm so grateful that I was able to share such a precious experience with you. It’s something that you don’t have to go through alone.”

“I won’t be, Mom. You’ll be there. Emma will too ... once I tell her.”

“Henry, I trust you that you will tell her when you are ready, But I am going to have to ask you to trust me about something. Do you think you can do that?.”

Henry slowly nodded his head, as Regina gently lifted his chin, her eyes soft as she scanned his face. 

“Tonight, I realized that the secret you asked me to keep is a different kind of secret – because it doesn’t only involve just you and me. You’re Emma’s child too. And because you are, she also has a responsibility to ensure your safety and to look out for your best interests – and she has a right to know if you are going through something that could affect your well-being. I know what it’s like to be excluded from decisions that impact your child; it wasn’t right then, and I can’t, I won’t do that to Emma. I won’t lie to your mother if it’s something she needs to know about you.”

“I know Mom, I’m just not sure I’m ready, not yet.” 

“I know, Sweetheart. But here’s my promise to you. I will make sure you have a safe space, time you need to figure this out. And if Emma notices that something is going on, I will tell her that you have some things you are working through, but you asked for some space. She trusts me, and I know she’ll respect your wishes. But if I feel that Emma does need to know, I am going to have to tell her. I owe that to you as my son and her as your mother. But I promise that I will only tell her if keeping the secret will hurt either of you more than telling it.” 

“Just know that I love you Henry” as she pulled him into a tight embrace. 

“I love you too, Mom,” he whispered, resting his head on her shoulder. He gave her a tight hug, and then chuckled, “I don’t know about you, but I think this is all the emotions I can take for one day. Good night Mom,” After placing a quick kiss on her cheek, Henry thundered up the stairs. 

Regina released a shaky breath. Now it was time to see how Emma was doing. 

\---------------------

Entering into the bedroom, she breathed a sigh of relief, smiling at the sight of Emma propped up by a pile of pillows, turning a page in her novel. Her headache had clearly lessened, the pinched look gone as Emma peered over the top of her book, returning Regina’s smile with an even brighter one of her own. Pulling back the covers on Reina’s side of the bed, she patted the spot, inviting Regina to join her.

As Regina climbed into bed beside Emma, the worry from earlier began anew. Despite her talk with Henry, she was with the one person she wanted to share everything with, and tonight she cannot.

Unplugging her tablet from the charger, Regina’s thoughts began to swirl, wondering when Henry would seek out Emma’s support, and how she would handle the feelings of betrayal that could come if she decided she had to tell Emma herself. On top of it, her own insecurities about sexuality were resurfacing, remembering the fears as they broke those entrenched heterosexual norms; wondering what this could mean for her family. What was the best way to love and protect her son; to love and honor her wife? 

Unlocking her tablet, she took a deep breath and began researching LGBTQ+ Youth statistics. What she saw broke her heart. Remembering the painful battles Emma endured to be where she is now, here in Storybrooke, with her forever family. 

She glanced over to watch the way the blonde was transfixed with her book. She loved watching Emma read, the way she mouthed the words, as if devouring them. Regina knew that this was her way of falling into the story, a way to escape the chaos in so many of her foster homes. Now it was an oasis, a way to unwind when the craziness that is Storybrooke gets to be too much.

Lovingly, Regina lightly ran the back of her fingers down Emma’s cheek, drawing the blonde away from her book. 

“Was I reading out loud again?”

“No,” the tenderness in her tone was reflected in Regina’s smile. “You know that doesn’t bother me, darling,” 

Emma blushed, “It bothers me sometimes,” 

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, never with me,”

Emma’s lips pressed together tightly. “I’m just glad that Henry had you.” 

“And now he has both of us.” 

Brushing her cheek against Regina’s caressing hand, Emma closed her book, and placed it in her lap as she curled into her wife’s arms. “Yes, he is definitely our son.”

Glancing down at the tablet’s screen, a frown crossed Emma’s face, her stomach clenching as she read the statistics displayed on Regina’s screen. 

“That seems accurate. Why are you looking this up? Are you worried about someone in particular?

“I’ve just been thinking, remembering …” Regina took a deep breath, then continued, “You’re the only one who knows, who understands how it was for me early on. The fear, the walls, the voices I had to overcome to get to a place … this place, where you and I are free to give and receive love. How long you had to wait before I could risk ...”

Emma softly kissed Regina’s cheek. “I didn’t care then, and I don’t care now. Choice and intimacy were not options for you in your world, not after Daniel … It made perfect sense to me. But Regina, waiting for you, being there for you, and all the beauty that came afterward. ... Who we are together will always make every minute of our journey worth it.”

“What if I taught Henry to feel shame by struggling with, by denying my sexuality for so long?” 

Propping herself up again, Emma took the tablet from her wife, cupped her chin so she could look into those brown eyes, then softly placed both her hands on Regina’s face. 

“Henry is kind and thoughtful, loving and caring, polite, and the most genuine person I’ve ever met. He feels things with his entire being, and if that is not something he learned from his Mother … from you Regina … I don’t know what is.” 

Despite herself, Regina’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as Emma gently kissed her forehead. Wrapping her wife inside her loving arms, she cradled Regina’s head against her chest, where she could hear the sound of a heartbeat that will never stop loving her. Regina’s arms wrap tightly around Emma. Breathing her in, tangling her olive fingers through the blonde curls.

“You haven’t held me like this in a long time” 

“You’re right, we need to change that,” Emma whispered, nuzzled into dark hair. She wondered if Regina needed this more than she realized, if perhaps they both did. To be able to push away persistent insecurities by the simple act of being wrapped up with her wife, safe in a loving embrace. Healing poured from an overflowing cup of love. They did that for each other.

With a soft voice, Regina read, “It says here that half of all LGBTQ Youth are more likely to consider suicide than their straight peers.” Pulling her in tighter, Emma carefully weighed all that had been said tonight, seeking the truth at the heart of their conversation. To know what it was that Regina needed from her.

“Regina, our son knows we love him, that he can always come talk to us. I know that shame and fear were pounded into you, but look at you now. Look at the example you gave him, we gave him. We can be that support for Henry too if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

“About anything?” 

Giving Regina a reassuring squeeze, Emma said, “I would hope so. But if you are worried that he doesn’t think he can, we’ll go to him.”

Regina’s voice is steady, “I think that it’s best if we wait for Henry to come to us.” 

“I agree,” Emma said, as her fingers stroked her wife’s dark hair. Gathering her thoughts slowly, she asked, “Remember when we were the first same-sex couple in town?”

“I remember spending every day we secretly dated, fearing the old world was alive and well, ready to tie me to the stake for defiling the Savior.” 

Emma frowned, remembering what it was like for her and Regina prior to their coming out. The desire, the fear, how their eyes would catch each other, only able to express their love by discrete glances and “accidental” touches. It had taken time, but Regina was able to conquer enough of her demons to risk exposing that part of herself, her heart for Emma to the town. Once out, they were the topic of many heated conversations, as old world norms were challenged by the truth of their relationship. Their stand encouraged others to take the same risk, the Red Beauty’s and Sleeping Warriors of Storybrooke came forward, further changing norms for the better. 

“You gave them an example of grace and courage.” Emma could feel Regina’s eyes roll, not believing it true. “You did it in spite of the doubts and fears that plagued you.”

“We both did.” 

“I know that our son is who he is because he had a strong loving mother who guided him over the years. Hell Regina, you’re the type of mother I wish I had growing up. And now, Henry has two parents who love him more than anything, and will do whatever it takes to be there for him.” 

Tightening her hold around Emma’s waist, Regina released a shaky breath. She hung onto the truth of Emma’s words, trusting her more than anyone else. That the heart she could hear beating steadily would stay strong in its love for her and Henry, just as hers beats as strongly for them. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

It took a couple of days, but Emma finally managed to schedule some alone time with Henry, Thursday right after school. He was interested in making additional money and luckily, the Sheriff just happened to have some filing and other odd jobs that would pay cash. The fact that Grandpa Charming was out on patrol was a fortuitous accident. Not wanting to worry Henry when he walked in, Emma casually remained seated when she saw Henry walking across the parking lot.

Ever since her talk with Regina the other night, Emma’s wheels have been spinning, unable to fight off a nagging concern that Henry was struggling with his sexual identity. After all, Henry was growing up fast, and he was entering an age where she expected him to be questioning and exploring. Yet after seeing those statistics – the reminder of Regina’s struggles and the bigotry that still existed – she couldn’t quiet her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she could see the signs that had been there all along; she was beginning to put the puzzle together.

Up until a few days ago, it seemed like Henry hadn’t quite been himself. Emma couldn’t put her finger on it; he just was a little … off. Then for the past few days, Henry seemed back to normal – Henry being Henry. Yet seeing Henry happy the last few days didn’t really comfort her the way it normally would have. Instead, it showed her how preoccupied, distracted – perhaps even sad – Henry actually had been the past couple of months.

It horrified her that he may have been struggling, and she didn’t see it before now. She had been positive that he would come talk to them if he had questions, was feeling things he didn’t understand, or was confused. She even assured Regina that Henry would come to them. He always had – until now.

What if he isn’t coming to us about this?

She had to agree with Regina – they needed to let Henry come to them. Yet whether Henry confided in her or not, she knew it was important that he knew she had his back; that she loved him and would stand by him – no matter what. Over the past few days, she thought a lot about her teenage years, a lot about Lily and Ingred; women who believed in her, who provided her with a safe place where she could share her true-self, including her exploration of her sexual identity. It was their acceptance that helped her to accept herself during a time where she had no anchor. And even though both relationships ended badly, having someone there for her at pivotal times in her life made all the difference in her becoming the woman she was today. 

So yeah, Henry needed to know that she was there for him; that both his mothers were. As she watched Henry approach, she just knew that she wanted to give him whatever it was that he needed from her, and she hoped like hell that she was going to be able to figure that out. 

Once Henry got inside the station, Emma pointed out the whiteboard with his assigned duties, along with the multiple stacks of paper piled up on the credenza. Henry gave her a patented Mill’s eyebrow arch as he looked over the amount of paperwork in need of filing.

“Mom was right. This IS a complete mess.”

“Good thing you’re being paid under the table then. Tax-free,” Emma bopped his head with some files she was carrying and sat on the edge of her Father’s desk.

“Henry, can we talk before you get started?”

Watching Emma stare at the files in her hand tipped Henry off to the fact that whatever she was about to say, it was big. “We both know your Mother is better at this kind of thing than I am, but I wanted to be the one to talk to you.” Emma paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before she continued,

“Henry, you’re almost an adult now… and uh …”

Henry blinked, confused thoughts turning into a resounding Oh shit!

“Please tell me this isn’t another ‘Henry, you’re growing up so we need to talk about sex’ talk. I’m still trying to recover from the last one we had.”

Emma burst out laughing and wacked his arm with the files. “Hell no, I’m still recovering from that one, too. We’ll let your mom handle the next one.”

As she leaned back on her desk, both Henry and Emma sharply inhaled, “Okay. I just … Henry … I want to make sure that you’re okay.”

“Is there something that makes you think I’m not okay?”

“No - Not at all. I mean, I just … Okay, when I was your age … I don’t know … I used to imagine how nice it would be to have a Mom who’d ask me, so I thought maybe you’d like it too?” 

Henry’s mouth curves into an easy crooked grin. “Yeah, I do like it. Things have been good lately. Really good.” 

Emma returned his smile, carefully studying him, as if looking for reassurance that he really was doing well.

“Good … I’m glad. I know this is not always the easiest time of life, mine sure as hell wasn’t, and the whole going through adolescence while living with a bunch of fairy tale characters … well, I don’t think they cover that stuff in the Raising your Teenager Handbook. So you know … if you ever need to talk … I may not be an expert or anything, but I do know a lot about how this world works.”

Henry found himself a bit on edge. He was hoping that Emma didn’t know, but the timing of this conversation was just too much of a coincidence. Was this Emma’s way of trying to help him without asking straight out? SInce she’s usually not this subtle, it was probably just dumb luck that she happened to pick today to talk to him. Either way, if he could learn more about Emma’s past, then that was a bonus for him.

“You know … you don’t talk much about what it was like for you growing up. Mom doesn’t either. I’d like to know more about what you were like when you guys were my age.”

“What would you like to know?”

“I don’t know … ” as his mind suddenly went blank. He frowned, then added, “I mean … it’s just that I have you and Mom, and there’s Grams and Gramps, Nick, Violet … but I mean … Seems like you were on your own a lot … Who did you go to? ... Did you have friends?” 

“Well … hmmm,” Emma moved next to him, pretending to look over the whiteboard. She nudged him as she added, “Did I ever tell you how I met Lily?” 

“No, not that part of the story.” 

“I was shoplifting some toaster pastries, and she saved my ass from getting arrested.”

“I kinda see why you always left that detail out,” he mumbles. 

His mom snorted, “Hadn’t exactly refined my shoplifting skills yet, and Fate’s idea of a good time was running smack into security at the end of the aisle.”

“Smooth move, Ma,” he smiled, finding himself relaxing a bit as his curiosity peaked. 

“Luckily Lily was heading my way, and told them I was her sister. Even luckier for me, she had swiped her parents’ credit card … not that you’d do anything like that, huh?” Emma smirked. 

“Only one time, and besides, it was my teachers’. Mom would have busted me if I had tried to use hers,” as Henry rolled his eyes

“True, and grounded you until you were twenty.” Emma laughed, then she began rubbing the back of her neck as she sorted out her thoughts, “At least your brief criminal career had a good outcome … you bringing me here … best thing that’s ever happened to me. It gave me the life I always wanted, thanks to you.” She looked away briefly, and continued, 

“Trying to steal that Pop Tart, that was the first time someone saw me in trouble and actually helped, having someone looking out for me. After we left the store, Lily and I found a nearby park and spent most of the day talking. I...” Emma paused again, seeming to be lost in the memory. Henry gave her shoulder a gentle bump.

“I’d told her why I’d run away from my last home.” 

“Why did you?” 

“One of the younger girls was adopted. I figured that I was too old … this was the best it was going to get, and it wasn’t so great … so I ran while I could. And sitting with Lily, I felt safe.” As they kept their gazes fixed on the whiteboard, Henry saw Emma wipe an escaping tear away. 

“I know that you guys had a falling out, but it seems like you think meeting her was a good thing for you, right?”

“Yeah, it was … She was one of the first people to really see me, Emma Swan. Lily saw us as a team, like I was important. It’s hard to explain, but even if it was only for a short time, someone thought I was worth saving. For the first time, someone was there for me when I really needed it. No ulterior motives, nothing to gain from it, no paychecks. Did it just to help me.” 

“I’m glad she was there for you, too.” 

“It’s funny, because even though I ended up back in the group home, seeing the way she saw me … I began changing the way I saw myself. For the first time, I started pushing back … I was going to be the one deciding who I was, not someone else. Felt pretty damn good.” 

Emma glanced at her watch, “Hey … it’s getting late, so I’d better let you get started. Let me know if you need anything,”

Looking over the list, he figured that alphabetizing the files was easiest, so Henry decided to tackle that first. This was going to be the easiest $50 he’d ever made, birthday money aside. Reaching for the headphones in his pocket, he paused when Emma cleared her throat.

Clearly not finished.

“I know it sounds crazy, but you are growing up, and you're making your own way. It’s one thing to go out there yourself, but when it’s your kid … that’s pretty scary to me. I trust you, I just need you to know that you can come to me or your Mom anytime you feel like you can’t handle something. No matter what, your Mom and I will always love you and be there.”

“I know Ma, I really do…” 

She clasps a hand on his shoulder. “I promise, no more June Cleaver moments today.” 

“Nice ‘60’s reference,” Henry snorted.

“Just remember … I can collect a smart-ass tax on your pay,” smirking as she left the room.

“Brilliant cultural reference to an iconic character, Sheriff Swan,” he shouts back. Henry can hear Emma snorting from the other room

Turning to the files, he reflected on their conversation. Nothing in what Emma shared pointed to his Mom having told Emma about the dress. And Emma’s a straight shooter … Emma wouldn’t pull punches if she thought they needed to talk about it. No, Henry was quite sure that this talk was something Emma thought up on her own. But to satisfy that niggling doubt, he decided that a trust-but-verify strategy would be a good idea right about now. So hopefully, if he finished up on time, he could catch his Mom before she left the office. Yep, that’s exactly what he’ll do, as he picked up the first file

\------------------------------------------------------

Once Henry finished up and collected his hard-earned pay, he went straight over to his Mother’s office, hoping to catch her before she left for the day. He knew that Regina had been upfront about giving him space, but he didn’t know what to make of Emma’s questions when he first got to the station.

He was relieved when he saw her shadow through the opaque door. Giving door a light tap, he poked his head into the office and asked “Are you busy?”,

Her face lit up, “I’m never too busy for you!” As Henry came over, she chuckled, “How bad was it?” Regina already knew the situation at the station. Over the years, Emma developed quite an effective but unconventional system for organizing, but this time of year always created an avalanche of extra paperwork that defied her controlled chaos.

“Not Year 1 Emma, if that’s what you’re asking,” he muttered, tossing his book bag into the chair. Feeling a little light-headed, he gripped the back of the chair.

Regina quickly shut her laptop, giving him her undivided attention. “What’s wrong Henry?”

“D-did you tell Emma about me?” He wet his lips, not sure that he really wanted to know the answer.

“No, of course not. I didn’t say anything to her. I promised you that I’d let you know if I had to tell her. I wouldn’t let you be blind-sided like that,” she replied, fixing her eyes on his face. “Henry, what made you think that she knew?”

Exhaling, Henry softly said, “It’s just that ... well, she said things that we’ve never talked about before. About the world-changing and wanting me to be safe. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

Regina’s hands pressed into her forehead as the mental picture formed. “I think I know what happened, it was the night of our talk, right after we went to bed.”

“Do I want to know?” he asked nervously.

“After our talk, I realized that I’m not familiar enough with this world’s view of sexual identity to help you the way you need me to. So I started looking up some information on LBGTQ youth, and your mother saw what I was reading. Seeing the statistics – the high risk of self-harm – frightened me; because now I knew that it wasn’t just an Enchanted Forest problem. But it also brought up some – I can’t believe I’m saying this to you …” Regina groaned, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

Looking up at Henry, she gave him a slight smile, “… It brought out some of my own insecurities and fears about sexuality; remembering the voices that kept me from openly giving and receiving love – romantic love – with your mother, without fearing horrible consequences. And I worried that somehow, by hiding how I felt about your mother from others, I gave you the message that being open about who you are was something to be ashamed of.

“Are you worried about me?” He asked, taking a seat alongside his backpack.

“Of course I’m worried about you. I’m your Mother, and that comes with the job. Henry, I will always worry about you, no matter how old you are,” she replied, fixing her eyes on his face. “But am I worried about you exploring your gender identity and sexual preferences? No, I’m not … because, you’re now talking about it. If you weren’t talking to someone, yes I would be.”

“When you asked me in the vault what I thought you would do if you found out – it’s hard to explain – I knew that you and Emma would accept me, but at the same time it felt so scary. Mom, I don’t remember ever feeling that scared before. Because I don’t know what I would have done if you had hated me or looked at me like you were disgusted …” his voice cracking.

Regina rushed around her desk, wrapping her son in a tight embrace. “Henry, I understand what it’s like to not feel at home in your own skin. To be rejected by the ones whose approval you crave more than anything else. Just know that your mother and I love you more than anything else,” Regina then placed her hands on Henry’s face, “Just know that we will move Heaven and earth, –- storm the gates of Hell if we need to – for you to be happy, that you are free to be who it is that you want to be and to love who you want to love.”

“I know, I really do. I think what’s hard is that you walking in on me meant I didn’t have to figure out how I was going to tell you. But it’s scary when I think about walking up to Emma and telling her all of this.”

“Of course it’s scary. Helping you with your sexuality is not something we’ve discussed as parents, but I know Emma. I know what she’s experienced, and how she seemed to understand what was going on with me before I did. And I can say with absolute certainty that Emma will love you unconditionally when you tell her. And you know what – me saying this will not make it any less scary for you. Just know that some risks are worth taking, and this is one of them.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll talk to Emma soon. It’s weird because right now, it’s like I’m trying to figure out how to explain it to myself, so I guess I need a bit of time before trying to explain it to her. But this helps, Mom.” Swinging his backpack onto his shoulder, Henry headed towards the door. “Are we still going to the vault tonight?”

“Meet me there at 9:30?” Regina asked. She walked with him to the door, kissing his head lightly as he opened it. “If you’re going to be a Queen, you need to walk like one,”

He burst out laughing, “I know, I know. Queens don’t slouch.” 

\----------------------------------

Henry had just finished the last of his homework when Regina walked into the study. “I’m in the mood to go shopping. Do you want to come with me?”

The teenager slammed his books shut, nodding vigorously. “Awesome! I just finished my homework. Let me grab my wallet,”

“It’s drying out in the laundry room. Someone forgot to check his pockets again before he threw his pants in the hamper,”

Ducking his head sheepishly, Henry gave her a crooked grin. “Oops … Sorry,”

“It’s alright. Fortunately, your driver’s license is waterproof. But I’m afraid that some other papers you had in there weren’t so lucky. At least your money’s clean … Oh wait, isn’t it finders keepers?”

“Sure Mom, steal from your own son,” He teased, as he left to go get his wallet.

“Well, it was such a pitiful amount, I'll have mercy on you,” Regina called back, as she reached for her purse and keys. “I’ll meet you in the car. Don’t forget to lock up.”

Normally, Henry would slip his headphones as soon as they backed out of the driveway. But today seemed different. Today, he just wanted to spend some time with his mom, and he had a feeling that she wanted, maybe even needed, to spend some time with him. As he slipped his headphones back into their case, Henry thought, Yeah, they both really need this time together.

As they passed the Leaving Storybrooke sign, Regina glanced over at her son, watching as his eyes followed the sign until he could no longer see it in the side-view mirror.

“I thought we could both use some time outside of Storybrooke.”

“I think we do too. It’s been pretty intense lately,” Henry sighed

“Exactly, that’s why I thought we could go shopping. I think we need to buy you some things of your own. Then we can see where that takes us.”

“Some things of my …” Henry’s forehead scrunched. “Did I ruin your dress?”

She gently smiled at him, “The dress is fine, Henry. The thing is, I don’t know what I don’t know. And when it comes to knowing how to help you with this, that encompasses pretty much everything. It frightens me that I don’t know the best way to proceed.”

“So you’re taking me clothes shopping?”

“It works for me – there’s nothing like designing a new look when you’re making a new start.”

He chuckled, “Now that you mention it, your clothes do tend to match your mood.”

She briefly touched his arm, and sighed, “I have to admit that I’m running on instinct here. But honestly, I was thinking about when I was your age. Henry, what I wanted more than anything else was the freedom to choose the life I wanted to live, not the one someone else picked for me. So can you borrow some of my clothes while you’re trying to find yourself? Absolutely. But, I also thought that maybe it would help if you had something that you picked, something that’s just yours. So today is about giving you the chance to learn a bit more about your own style, one that reflects who you are and what you like.”

“Thanks Mom.” Henry replied quietly, as his gaze drifted off towards the side window, his fingers lightly tapping on his thigh. He seemed lost in thought, so Regina drove in silence, giving him space to sort out his thoughts.

A few miles down the road, she heard his stomach growl, “Do you want to stop and grab a bite to eat in that little diner up the road?”

“That sounds good. I’m actually a little hungry,”

As they pulled into the Diner, Regina found an empty spot off to the side. Once parked, she turned to face her son, her hand rubbing circles on his back. “Are you worried about shopping? Is it too much, too soon?”

“No, it’s not that. Honestly, I just don’t know where to begin.”

“That I can help you with,” as Regina’s smile lit up her face. She may not have all the answers, but she would damned well make sure that she supported her son.

“True; and you do have better fashion sense than Emma,” Henry quipped, but his brow furrowed, “You know this doesn’t change anything, that I’m always going to be your child, right Mom?”

“Of course I do Sweetheart. Nothing is going to change that,” Regina replied, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “And Henry, you know that Emma and I will always be your Moms, that we’re not going anywhere, right?”

As Henry slowly nodded, Regina realized that she hadn’t felt this helpless since Henry was a newborn, and she had no idea how to soothe his cries. No ‘Mother Manual’ existed that told her what to do for Henry then, and there wasn’t one for now. Whale’s smart-ass attitude aside, she knew that all she could give Henry was 10 cc’s of maternal love. It was what he needed then, and she had to believe it would somehow give him what he needed now, because at this point, she had nothing else to offer him.

As she rubbed circles on his back, she could slowly feel Henry’s shoulders relax. It always amazed her how this simple motion comforted Henry, just as it had so many years ago.

He looked over at her, “I used to sneak into the hall closet when you and Ma would go out and put on her red “Savior” jacket – and before you say anything, I know she really hates me calling it that,” he quickly added, as her eyebrow involuntarily arched. She gave him a reassuring pat.

He winked, and then continued, “When I was little, I used to picture myself having a sword and my very own “Savior” jacket, slaying dragons, being a hero. But when I tried Ma’s on … It’s hard to explain, but there was something about it that felt right, like wearing it made me a bit more … me – not a hero or anything – just … me. When I tried on some of your “Madam Mayor” coats, it felt the same way. It was like … I … it’s hard to explain.” 

Regina sat silently, waiting for him to continue.

He paused, looking down at his hands. “Does that bother you?”

Picking up his chin, she softly said, “Not at all Sweetheart, I just want to understand.”

Laughing nervously, Henry bit the skin at the corner of his thumb. “I didn’t think … I –”

“It’s okay, Henry. You can tell me.”

Henry looked at her and said, “But what about me wearing your dress? Do you think – you're my Mom – but I’m your son, not your daughter – are you sure it didn’t bother you that I was wearing your clothes-clothes?”

“Henry, you’re my child, period. Nothing else matters. Was I surprised, yes because I missed the signs that you weren’t feeling comfortable in your own body – and it saddens me when I think about you facing it alone.”

She continued to rub his back. “But Henry, you have nothing to be ashamed of – if it’s alright for a mother to let her daughter try on her clothes, it is absolutely alright for her son to try them on too. I love you, and even though I’ll make mistakes along the way, and I won’t always know what to do or how to do it, I just want what’s best for you. Everything else will work itself out.”

“When you accepted me that night in the vault ... that made all the difference. I’ve been so afraid of how you'd react; and suddenly, my worst fears disappeared. I can’t tell you how good it feels to not have to carry that around anymore.”

Seeing the unshed tears filling Regina’s eyes, Henry embraced her. They held onto each other until the emotions that their talk had stirred settled. Regina pulled back, bopped his nose, and said, “Let’s go get some breakfast.” 

\----------------------------------

Arriving at the mall, Henry walked quietly beside Regina. Sensing his discomfort, she placed her hand on his elbow, “Even though you’ve been here with me before, I know this time is different for you. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable, just say the word, and we can leave. If you see something you like, and you don’t want to draw any attention, just send me a text message. I can be the Queen of Discrete,” she said, giving him a wink.

“Even if I find something, how do I know if it’s going to fit? Aren’t women’s sizes different?”

She tilted her head understandingly, “They can be tricky – the same size can fit differently, depending on the style and who made it – not to mention there are a lot of different body types. Luckily, I know your measurements from your last suit.” Wiggling her fingers, she added, “And better yet, I can make ‘alterations’ so it will fit you just right.”

“See. There are benefits to being the son of a Queen,” as he bumped her shoulder, adding, “That’ll make it easier to pick out clothes,” as he broke out into a huge grin.

“That, and my impeccable sense of fashion – not to mention a healthy credit card limit,” as she bumped him back.

As they approached Victoria Secret, Henry pulled her aside and whispered, “Mom, do you think anyone will know we’re going there for me? I’m trying not to act nervous, but I’m afraid that I’m not hiding it very well.”

Regina reassured him, “Sweetheart, I could tell you that it doesn’t matter what these people think, and that you’ll never see them again – but I know that’s not going to make you feel better about this.” She patted his hand as it rested on her arm. “Honestly, if you look uncomfortable in there, they’re probably going to think that you are a mortified teenage boy whose mother dragged him in there while she looked for … you know … stuff.”

Henry burst out laughing, “You’re allowed to call it lingerie, Mom.”

“I could, but what’s the fun in that? Come on, let’s go get you some …lingerie,” she teased, pulling him towards the store. 

As they walked around the store, Regina quickly recognized Henry’s tells. Years of experience taught her that lingering at a table, running his fingers near the item he wanted, was a sure sign that he was interested. Glancing around but always going back to certain items. Henry rarely asked her for anything, and so she was glad that she had a way to learn his preferences. 

She was relieved to see that his pieces were simple, tasteful, and age appropriate, seeming to favor an elegant look of silk over the sex-appeal of lace. Until a girl of Henry’s age came into the store with her Mother, it did not occur to Regina that Henry’s choices were modest, perhaps innocent. Right away the girl went straight for barely there panties, and out of the corner of his eye, he could tell that her selections had caught more than just Henry’s attention. 

“Mom,” Henry said, pulling her back. Her eyes were still trained on the girl as she continued to look through the panties on the display across from them.

“What’s wrong, Henry?” 

“You’re wearing your scary face.” 

“I’m...sorry,” She turned to him, reminding herself to breathe. “Some of the old world still follows me. Children grow up differently here.”

“What do you mean?” Henry asks, casually observing the other two patrons before glancing back to his Mother. 

“Children didn’t have a choice … or a voice.” she said quietly. “But here, it sometimes seems like they have too many choices before they’re ready. Trying to find that balance is hard.” As she ran her fingers over the items on the display, she pondered his choices. “Would you like something more like her selections but worry that I wouldn’t approve of it or it would upset me?” 

“Mm,” Henry’s observing his fellow teenager as she holds up a semi-sheer bralette. “No, not yet – and not because I’m worried about your reaction. I think I’d like to try out something more … comfortable for now.”

Regina chuckled, “I think that’s a smart move. Why don’t you scout out someplace to eat while I pay for the item you picked out. Then we’ll visit some other stores.”

“Already did it. There’s a Cinnabon across the way,”

“Go on then. Get us something sweet while I finish up here,” as she handed him a $20 bill. Watching him leave, she found herself overwhelmed by the unshakeable trust he has in her. Blinking away the tear that threatened to fall, she gathered up the items Henry had selected.

As Regina approached the register, she spotted a deep purple silk PJ set. Given his other choices, she thought that it was a set that he would enjoy wearing. Smiled, thinking about how she’d surprise him with it tonight.

“Did you find everything alright?” as the attendant took the items from Regina. 

She broke out into a broad smile, “I believe so. Yes we did.” as she pulled out her credit card.

Henry met her as she emerged from the store, two gooey Cinnabons in hand.

As they found a table in the food court, Henry looked at the bags in the chair, and smiled.

“I think I’ll be able to tell Ma’ soon,”

“I’m glad. I know that you’ll tell her when you’re ready Henry,” watching as he took a huge bite, amazed at how much he could stuff in his mouth at one time.

With an appreciative, beaming smile, Henry licked the frosting off his fingers.

He is smiling again. She was so thankful that she could be a part of this, knowing that Henry was okay. Glancing over to the bags, she knew that she would go anywhere and do anything for him.

Yes, it was worth it

\----------------------------------------

Arriving home after a successful day shopping, Regina was surprised to see the squad car parked in their driveway. “Hmmm … Emma must have come straight home from patrol instead of picking up her car. Hope that doesn’t mean she has to pull another shift tomorrow.”

Normally this would have been great news for Henry since Emma often took him to the station with her; and if he was lucky, she would let him drive her car back home. Tonight, Henry looked at the squad car with a slightly panicked look.

“Henry, are you alright?” as Regina studied his face.

“How are we going to get the stuff in without her asking what we bought?” Henry asked, swallowing nervously.

“Don’t worry Sweetheart,” and with a wave of her hand, the bags holding Henry’s clothes disappeared, leaving several bags full of other goodies for them to carry in.

“Awesome, Mom … but where did you put them?”

“They’re in the back of your closet. Just don’t get lost in that abyss, or we may need to send out a search team for you.” she replied with a wink.

Henry took a deep breath. “Thanks Mom. For everything … today was … amazing.”

“You’re welcome, Henry. Let’s go in and see your mom,” she softly kissed the top of his head, then gently guiding him towards the house, “Go on,” she smiled, as Emma appeared at the door to greet them.

He ran towards the house, giving Emma a big hug as he went by. “Mom got me the PlayStation 4 Pro Deluxe Bundle, so you’d better be prepared for a marathon, I’ll get it set up!” calling over his shoulder as he ran up to his bedroom, waving the bags holding his games in the air as he ran upstairs. Regina followed, carrying the remaining bags into the house.

“Deluxe Bundle? Really? Isn’t that pretty expensive?” Emma crossed her arms, trying to appear stern; and failing miserably as her excitement bubbled over.

“He did pay for some of it with what you paid him and his birthday money. The rest I chipped in for being on the honor roll,” Regina explained, setting the bags down as she took off her coat. “But if you think that it’s too much, I can tell him to wait until Christmas to play with it.”

“Well, since he paid for some of it, and he is a great student, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt … just this time.” as Emma extended her hands in deference. 

“I’m sure Henry will be relieved,” she said with a grin. Regina then leaned in and kissed her wife as they walked into the foyer. “Did you start dinner already? It smells wonderful!” as she paused to savor the smells coming from the kitchen. “Now I’m starving.”

Picking up the bags, Emma led the way towards the living room as Regina hung up her coat.

“I’ll take these upstairs for you later,” calling over her shoulder. “Can I get you a pre-dinner glass of wine while the roast browns?”

Looking past Emma’s shoulder, she spotted an arrangement of beautiful white lilies on the coffee table, and for the first time, noticed that Emma wasn’t wearing her usual Saturday sweats and hoodie. Rather, she was wearing the dark gray pants that she knows Regina likes and one of Regina’s black silk blouses.

Joining her in the living room, Regina stroked her cheek, “What’s the special occasion?” Regina slowly moved her hand down to stroke her neck, then smoothed out the left side of the collar. “You know I love it when you wear my shirt with those pants,” her voice silky and sensual.

“And I really like what you loving it means.” Last time I wore them, I thought I was going to need CPR.”

Their lips lingered millimeters apart until the sound of Henry clearing his throat drew their attention. “I’m going to eat in my room if you guys don’t cut it out,”

“Hey, you got your mom all day. It’s my turn.” Emma teased, as she pulled Regina into a side embrace. Regina rolled her eyes, as she playfully elbowed Emma.

“Yeahhhh … definitely eating in my room,” Henry groaned, faking a gag.

“Henry, I promise we’ll behave, but if you want to grab a sandwich and eat in your room, it’s alright. For some reason, I think you’d rather set up your new games than eat with your moms,” Emma quipped back, feigning hurt.

“Sure you’re not just trying to get rid of me?” Henry taunted, calling over his shoulder as he headed towards the kitchen.

“Never, Kid ... why would I want to get rid of you … and leave me all alone with your mother? Never!” she called back as she pulled Regina closer into her side.

“I’m wounded!” Henry teased, as he emerged with three quickly slapped together PBJ sandwiches and a glass of milk. Heading up the stairs, he shot out, “Don’t miss me … and behave!”

Regina just shook her head, a slight smile escaping as she watched the playful banter going on between her son and her wife. “Enjoy your dinner, Henry!” Regina called out after him, as the sound of the bedroom door closing echoed down the stairwell. 

With their son off to his room, Emma grinned at her wife, “That was easy,” as she guided her wife towards the dining room.

Regina leaned her head onto Emma’s shoulder, sliding her arm around Emma’s back, “I love our son, but I have the feeling that he’ll be relieved that he is eating upstairs.” She paused in the doorway, taking in the beauty of the flowers, the feel of silk against her cheek, and the smells of what promised to be a delightful dinner. 

“What did I do to deserve all of this?” as she sighed contentedly.

“I spent the day missing you,” Emma whispered, her lips pressing into dark curls as she wrapped her arms tightly around Regina. 

Regina curled into the embrace, “I missed you too, Darling,” as she lightly stroked Emma’s back. Looking over on the sideboard, she saw a bottle of her favorite wine in the chilling unit.

“And you have my favorite wine chilled as well?” 

“Only the best for my wife, Oaked Chardonnay, chilled to exactly 50 degrees, ” Emma snapped her fingers, and a frosted wine appeared in her hand. She released Regina only long enough to pour them each a glass. 

“Emma, I love you,” Regina’s voice broke, suddenly feeling overwhelmed not only by the love she felt for Emma, but how Emma’s love for her seemed to envelop her tonight, touching her to the very core of her being. She loved this woman to the depth of her heart and soul. 

“Oh, hey,” Emma wiped the escaping tears away with the pads of her thumbs. “I love you too,” as she pressed her lips gently against Regina’s.

Her lips are warm, and oh so soft. Regina finds herself drowning in them, as Emma deepens the kiss. It was delightful in every way … the feel of Emma’s tongue gliding against her lip, seeking entry, the comfort of Emma’s arms drawing her tightly into a passionate embrace. A shiver of need rippled through her body. 

“Wow, feel like we just had five-star hor d'oeuvres,” as Emma breathes heavily, trying to catch her breath. “As much as I’d like to continue, perhaps we could finish this after dinner.”

“Absolutely, it smells too good, and you worked too hard to not take the time to enjoy it,” then leaning in, Regina whispered into her ear, “Besides, I have a feeling that we’ll need the energy for later,” nipping at Emma’s earlobe as she turned towards the table.

“You’re killing me,” Emma muttered as she pulled out her wife’s chair. As Regina settled in, Emma headed towards the kitchen to bring out the food. Glancing over at the pie she bought from Granny’s, she called out , “I have a feeling that dessert is going to be so much better than what I had planned.”

\--------------------------------------------------  
After dinner, Emma and Regina took advantage of a rare moment of peace and quiet, curled up on the couch in the study, seemingly mesmerized by the soft flickering glow of the fireplace dancing across the crystal wine glasses on the coffee table. The warmth from fire, the contented fullness of a delicious meal, and the cozy softness of the Sherpa fleece throw across their laps; rare moments like this where they could simply relish each other’s presence, feeling the last tendrils of stress from a long day melt away,

Emma’s thumb gently stroked Regina’s shoulder, Regina curled up under her arm. It was often during evenings like this, cocooned in the intimacy of their surroundings, that they found themselves sharing their deepest hopes and dreams, insecurities and fears, securely hidden from the rest of the world. Quit moments where they were just Emma and Regina.

“How was your time with Henry?” Emma quietly asked, her thumb continuing its soothing effect on both of them.

“It was really fun, a nice change of pace; there’s something about getting out of Storybrooke, it’s like getting to leave the real world behind for a bit. Here’s to taking more days away from the office.” Regina clinked her glass against Emma’s, then took a sip of her wine, 

Emma set her glass down. “I’m glad you went. It’s nice to see Henry laughing again.” Her brow furrowed slightly as she continued, “The other day, when Henry was in the office … I still can’t put my finger on it, but seeing him happy made me realize that for the past few months, he’d been a bit just … off. I don’t know … Best way I can describe it ...preoccupied? distracted? – Maybe even sad?” Emma picked up her wine glass, took a sip, then swirled the wine, watching it as it slowly settled down.

“Anyway, I’m just relieved that he seems to be doing better, but I think we need to keep an eye on him to make sure he’s really okay.”

“I agree,” Regina took the wine glass from Emma’s hand and set it down.

Regina then slid her hand around Emma’s and held it tightly. 

“You’re right, Henry’s been going through some changes lately. Emma. I do know what’s going on with him, but I want to make sure that you know that it was only pure luck that I found out about it. The only reason I didn’t say anything earlier was because he asked for a little space so he could figure out how he was going to tell you.” Regina gently guided a stray strand of blonde hair back behind her ear. 

“Oh,” Emma whispered, her brow furrowing slightly. “Is there a reason that he feels like he can’t tell me? Is he afraid that I’d react badly … you know I wouldn’t, right?”

Cupping both sides of her face, Regina pressed her lips against her wife’s forehead until she could feel Emma relax. “Of course I know that. It certainly wasn't Henry’s choice that I found out; I fell into it. But now I do know, I’ve been keeping a really close watch on him.”

“That’s good. It’s important that at least one of us can help him.” 

“Emma, when Henry asked me to keep this between him and me, I want you to know that I set some clear boundaries. Because while I do trust that Henry will tell you soon, when you are told not solely his call to make. I made it very clear that when it came to issues of his welfare, you and I had the final say on that, not him, not at his age.”

Regina stroked her cheek, then explained further, “I told him that this isn’t like the last time I was asked to keep something from you. That time, it was between you and your parents, so it wasn’t my secret to tell. But what’s going on with Henry, it doesn’t involve only him and me … he’s your child too. And as his mother, you have the right to know if he’s going through something that could affect his well-being. And that made it a very different type of secret he was asking me to keep.” Emma gently pressed Regina’s hand to her lips, clearly moved by her words.

“That means so much to me. So what did you tell him about the secret?”

“I told him that I would give him space to figure this out as long as he talked to me. And if you noticed that something is going on with him, I would tell you that he had asked for some space to work through some things. I assured him that you trusted me, and I was confident that you would give him that space.”

But Emma, I know what it’s like to be excluded from decisions that impact your child, no matter how well-intentioned. I made it clear to Henry that I won’t do that to you – if there is something that could impact his well-being in any way, then I was going to tell you. He knows that I will not lie to you nor will I keep anything from you that you have the right to know as his mother.” 

“I think that those are good boundaries … I feel really good about that.”

“Emma, if you have any concerns about this, if there is something that you need to know, you can ask. That’s your call, your right as Henry’s mother.” 

“I just have to ask one thing – Is Henry? …” Emma sighed deeply, as if afraid of the answer to her yet unasked question, “That night, when you were reading those statistics on your tablet … Were you reading it because Henry tried to hurt himself?”

“What? No … Emma. Absolutely not!” Regina quickly took Emma’s hand, sandwiching it between her own. “Never. I promise, if I thought, or if I ever think, that there’s even the slightest chance that he’d try to hurt himself, the first person I would go to is you … you’re his mother … you’re my wife. I would never keep that from you” Regina smiled slightly, “Besides, you know me –if I thought that he was in any danger … I wouldn’t be sitting in bed with my ipad. I’d be burning the town to the ground getting him help.”

“True, you really do only have one speed when it comes to Henry, Hyperspace.” Emma chuckled. “It’s not that I don’t trust you. I just had to ask anyway for my own peace of mind.” as she slid her arm across Regina’s shoulder.

“And that is what this is about, you having the right to know what YOU need to know,” as Regina settled herself back, once more curled up under Emma’s arm, her thumb resuming it’s lazy patterns. 

“So you feel good about giving Henry some space to sort through whatever it is that’s going on.”

“I really do … for now, he is safe, happy, and talking. So honestly, I think for now, it’s best to respect his wishes on this. Him trying to figure out how to tell you … I actually think it’s helping him, because it’s making him first figure it out for himself. I do think he’s ready to talk to you. That said, if at any time you feel that you need to know something, please talk to me.” 

They settled back on the couch, Emma’s thumb resuming its favored position on Regina’s shoulder, enjoying the intimacy of the moment. Suddenly, Emma sat up, a smile crossing her face.

Holy shit … Henry must have thought that I knew when I told him that I wanted to talk to him. That explains the whole deer in the headlights look he gave me. You should have seen him … It was actually kinda funny. The kid does not have a poker face.” She chuckled, settling back into the couch. “Did he say anything to you about it?

Regina smiled at the memory. “When he came to the office, he asked me about it. Apparently, the thought had crossed his mind, but he’d quickly ruled it out. But Henry being Henry, he still needed to confirm that I hadn’t said anything.”

“I’m curious. Why did he think that I didn’t know?”

“He said he knew because you … and I quote … ‘don’t do subtle’ …” with Regina supplying the air-quotes.

What do you mean, I don’t ‘do subtle’. I can do subtle …” as Emma’s hand thud against her chest, feigning offense.

“The jury’s still out on that one. I hope you know, it really did mean a lot to Henry that you talked to him about your past. It made him feel special ... that you trusted him ... that you thought he could relate to you. You and Henry really are products of this world in ways the rest of us are not.”

“Well, he mentioned that he would like to know more about you too. Don’t sell yourself short on the understanding part of this. I have a feeling that you and I will be having a lot of talks with our son before this is all over” Emma added

“Speaking of talks … he actually was afraid that you were going give him another … again I quote … ‘painfully awkward sex talk’ … For the record, neither of you have yet to tell me what actually happened, beyond requests for brain bleach and memory potions.”

“Trust me. You do NOT want to know. But what do you say that we head upstairs. I can think of far more productive uses for my mouth than …”

They quickly disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke...

\--------------------------------------------------

His Moms were finally in their bedroom, likely engaging in activities that Henry preferred not to think about – the giggles just before a silencing spell took effect being a dead give-away. Gross … but at least it would keep them busy and out of his room. He knew this would be the perfect time to put away his PlayStation and try on some of his newly purchased clothing.

As he opened the closet door, an excited tremor coursed through his body. There he found, tucked safely away in the depths of his closet, all the bags containing his very special items. He had to chuckle. Leave it to his Mom to put them in the one place that Emma avoided like plague. In fact, just last week, Emma made some snarky comment about making sure that her shots were up to date before she’d ever go into it again. Surveying the carnage before him, he decided that his Olympic-class slob skills definitely played to his advantage at times like this. 

As he pulled out the bags, he knew that he was ready to talk to Emma. Something about shopping today made a lot of things fall in place for him … looking, feeling, choosing, finding … all actions that somehow were in sync with who he was. That today, what he did finally reflected what had been going on inside of him.

He took the bags over his bed, and unceremoniously dumped the contents out onto his quilt – eager to find out what his Mom had actually purchased. As he surveyed his haul, Henry laughed – It looked like his Mom had definitely gone over the top at Victoria Secret, buying him what looked to be a couple of every type of silk panty and bra set that he showed interest in. What caught his eye was a package buried at the bottom of the pile, wrapped in light pink tissue paper, securely held in place with a narrow dark pink ribbon. Picking it up, he saw the gift card dangling from the simple bow. Recognizing his Mom’s handwriting, it read, “Just for You, with much Love.” 

Hands shaking, he pulled off the ribbon and tore open the tissue paper. When he saw the contents, he couldn’t believe his eyes – she’d gotten him a set of Victoria Secret royal purple silk pajamas. Laying them out on the bed, he ran Henry fingers over the delicate edging on the pockets, wrists, and along the collar and down the lapel, relishing the amazing feel of silk on his fingertips. After he unbuttoned the top, he stripped off his clothes, eager to see how the pajamas felt against his skin.

Sliding into the silk felt like coming home. Another piece of himself falling into place. The feeling of being enveloped in silk from head to toe was unlike anything he had ever felt. Studying himself in the mirror, amazed how the cut of the pajamas, the delicate lines, the silky softness, all made him feel like the image he saw in the mirror matched the image he had of his insides. Smiling at finally being able to put words into how he has been feeling.

Tonight was about relishing the feel of the silky material against his skin. Enjoying the fact that he did not need to become anyone else other than who he was inside – that in this moment, he felt as comfortable in his own skin as the silk felt on his skin. And the fact that his Mom bought this for him all on her own, just for him – made it even more special. Because the pajamas represented acceptance for the part of himself he had been hiding for a long time. Which in the end was exactly the message his mom was sending him through this gift.

Resting his head on the pillow, wrapped in silk, sleep easily took him into its embrace, holding Henry Daniel Mills sweetly in peace. 

\-------------------------------------------------------

“I decided how I want to tell Emma what we’ve been doing, how I’ve been feeling” Henry announced during one of their make-up sessions.

“Oh?” Regina asks, peeking from her novel. Since Henry liked to practice putting on make-up, it was a way for her to relax until he was ready for them to work on his next outfit.

“At the Comic-Con in Boston,”

Regina paused, placing the book in her lap. “That event where you go meet celebrities?”

“Not just meet them,” he patiently explained as he examined his newly applied lipstick. “You can speak to them, go to panels, get their autographs, get your picture taken with them ... cosplay.”

Her brow furrowed as she asked, “Cosplay – is that where you get dressed up as a favorite character?”

“Yeah, it is,” Henry replied, his face lighting up. “Emma and I decided a long time ago what we’d do if we ever got to go to a Con. She is totally down to cosplay. I bet she still wants to be Kassandra from Assassin’s Creed.”

“And by any chance, are you thinking about going as a female character?” her eyebrow arching, trying not to smile,

“Yeah, I think that would be an easy way to tell Emma, and I’d get to wear a dress all day. It’s a win-win.” Henry responded enthusiastically. 

“I’m almost afraid to ask … but who are you going to role play?” 

“It’s cosplay, Mom. I’m thinking about going as the Evil Queen – the pretty one, not the Disney version,” Henry smirked as he kissed his mother on the cheek. “Besides, it will definitely be authentic,”

Regina chuckled as she batted his arm, but as she looked back at him, her eyes clouded with worry,

“Henry, are you sure this is how you want to tell her? You won’t be dressed as a woman in front of just Emma. You're going to be with hundreds of other people. What if someone gives you a hard time? People can be really cruel.”

“So you don’t think it’s a good idea?”.

“It’s not that. You’re old enough to decide that for yourself, and I trust you know what’s best for you. I just want to make sure that you know all the facts before you make a final decision.”

“I won’t be alone, and I believe in Emma, so it’s going to be okay Mom.”

“I know,” Regina replied, the worry still evident on her face.

Henry wrapped his arms around her, placing his head on her shoulder. “You should come with us,”

“Me? Who would I be? The Evil Queen is already taken. And no, I won’t go as Snow White.”

He sat up straight, and replied, “I got a great idea … How about Bandit Regina instead. That way, you can play yourself while everyone thinks you are Snow White. Besides, Ma seemed to really like your bad ass bandit self,” his lips curling into a slight smirk.

“True. And I have to admit, your mother was quite … pleasing to the eye … in her Prince Charming ‘I will always find you’ blue riding clothes. That jacket really showed off her figure, and those pants, they made her …”

“Geeze, Mom, are you trying to scar me for life?” Henry interrupted, giving her a loud groan.

Regina winks back, “Just reminding you that if you mess with me, I play to win,” as she bopped his nose. “Seriously, I would love to go with you and Emma, even if it means dressing up as my alternate universe ‘bad-ass’ self.”  
.  
“Thanks, Mom. You’re the best,” Placing a kiss to her cheek, he went back to working on his make-up. “But you aren’t allowed to die this time. Promise?”

“I promise … no dying.”

Watching as her son applied his eyeliner, she picked up the book but didn’t even pretend to read it. She just marveled at how Henry’s confidence has grown in leaps and bounds since his first time that day in the vault. More importantly, she could see that he was growing more and more comfortable in his own skin. It took her a lifetime to figure out that her happy ending was finally feeling at home in this world, and she was so thankful that her son was starting to find himself, a budding confidence in who he is, as he entered adulthood. All those years of encouraging his curiosity. Trying to find the answers to the seemingly endless ‘Why Mama’ as he explored his world. Her heart felt like it could explode.

“Mom? MOM!” his voice startling her back to attention, 

“Yes, Henry?”

“How does this look?” He asked, aiming for something softer this evening.

Rising from her chaise, Regina reached for the blender brush. “Your eyes look wonderful but those cheeks need some blending,” She winked at him before setting herself to the task of smoothing out his blush line.

\----------------------------------

“Kid, you still haven’t told me who you’re going to play. Good thing I had this ordered for Halloween – No way did I expect your Mom to get us tickets to Comic-Con! And I still can’t believe you talked her into going!” Emma shouted from the other room as she dressed. “Have I always been this pale?”

“Yes!” Henry and Regina responded together. Regina chuckled as more indistinguishable grumbling came from in the other room. She then turned her attention to adding the finishing touches of Henry’s make-up.

“Your mother sure has a flair for the dramatic – and speaking of dramatic – Henry, your makeup is perfect.” As she looked at him, she could see a glimpse of the Queen. Henry certainly captured the confidence and sass that the Evil Queen exuded when making an entrance, with none of the malice behind it.

“Shi-ut, Babe, I can’t get my vambraces on.”

Henry rolled his eyes, “Sounds like Ma needs your help,”

“Will you be okay?”

“Yes, I will be,” He quickly glanced at the mirror, and then touched her arm. “Actually I am better than okay. I’m ready to do this. Go rescue Ma before she breaks something.” Giving her arm a reassuring squeeze, he lightly kissed her cheek as she turned to leave the room. 

\---------------------------------------------

As Regina entered the room, Emma looked up at her with her best puppy eyes, the vambrace resting crookedly across her forearm, laces dangling in every direction in a tangled mess. Smiling, Regina quickly laced the left vambrace securely in place. Once completed, she softly kissed Emma’s palm, then reached for the other arm. 

As she tied the last lace, she smoothed the ends into the leather, “There, those should hold. Now, I want to see this epic costume.” Regina took Emma’s hands into her own, swinging out her arms so she could have a full view of the costume.

Regina was struck by the intricacies she saw, clearly depicting an ancient Greek warrior. Her braided blonde hair delicately draped off to the side. Around her shoulders was a short crimson cape, fastened in the front by a gold medallion. Strapped under the shoulder cape was a quiver of arrows. She covered her core with leather that was fashioned to appear as armor. A matching leather belt held her skirt in place, while armor-like leather protected her shins. Brown sandals were the final touch. Regina decided that leaving Emma’s biceps and thighs exposed was a special gift to her from the Greek gods, or whoever it was who designed Greek warrior fashions.

“Do you recognize me?” Emma asks, chest puffed out, a broken spear in her right hand and a bow strapped to her back. 

“You mean someone more specific than a sexy ancient Greek warrior?”

“Smart ass,” Emma kissed her cheek. Her lips lingered as she whispered, “Who am I?”

“You’re a character from that game that you like to play. The one where you’re running around in the ancient Greek world.”

“Kassandra! Yes! I knew you were paying attention. When we're at Comic-Con, I'll add fake blood and scars. Unbelievable … You never have to buy me another gift ever!”

“I’ll remember that,” Regina teased, enjoying how this was bringing Emma so much happiness.

“I can’t wait to see who or what Henry is wearing. I gave him some money towards his outfit, but he gave almost all of it back.”

“Imagine our son becoming a productive member of society?” she quipped.

Emma chuckled, “Heaven forbid. That’s not going to last once he sees the booths at the Con. When we get there … Henry is going to flip his shi-”

“Language,” Regina smirked.

“Yes, Bandit Regina.” Emma’s fingers ran through her side swept brown hair. “I still can’t believe that Henry talked you into wearing this.”

Regina laughed, “Our son can be persuasive. I still think he should have talked you into wearing the blue come-save-me riding clothes. Although I have to say, you look quite sexy in this … .” she purred, slowly trailing her finger up Emma’s bicep.

“So does a certain Bandit,” Emma leaned forward to capture her lips. “I know what we …”

“Mom? Ma, are you guys ready?” Henry’s voice cuts through their conversation.

“Damn kid has impeccable timing,” Emma grumbled

“Just a minute,” Emma shouted back, then turned back towards her wife, studying her with a knowing smile. “I think you know more than you’re letting on about Henry’s outfit.”

Regina searched out Emma’s face, “You remember our talk? How I answer you is your call. Whatever you need to know.”

Emma’s eyes searched back, holding such a tender expression as she softly asked, “This isn’t just about Comic-Con, is it?”

“No, it’s not,” as she fingered the laces of Emma’s vambrace.

“Okay, that's all I need to know.” Emma drew her into her arms, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” 

“Hey, are you guys coming or not?” the impatience clear in Henry’s voice.

Regina pulled back, grabbing her biceps, “Well Kassandra, ready to go slay some dragons?”

“She’s actually a Mercenary not a … Regina, you really don’t know much about any of this, do you?” as Emma watched her wife’s lips slowly begin to twitch.

“Nope, and I plan to continue living in a state of delightful ignorance – After you my Darling” as she swept her arm towards the door.

Wielding the broken off spear, Emma used the tip of it to pry the door open. Then she executed what Regina recognized as a Spartan Kick on an invisible enemy from Emma’s game. She stepped through the doorway, attaching the spear to her back as she reached for her bow. Emma completed a sweep of the hallway, ensuring that it was safe from all imaginary enemies.

Chuckling, Regina followed Emma into the hallway, watching her continue to scan the hallway with amusement. Moments like this reminded Regina of one of the many reasons she fell so in love. Emma reminded her it was okay to have fun. She had a feeling that they may need a double dose of it when Henry walked out into the hall. 

\----------------------------------------------------

Emma returned to her position outside of the guest room at the end of the hall. From there, she had a clear view of Henry’s door, as they awaited his grand entry. Regina’s heart beat wildly, her hands tightly clenched as she tried to tamp down her anxiety, while Emma stared straight ahead, absent-mindedly twirling her spear with her fingers.

“Hey Kid, your loyal fan club is getting restless. You can come out any time now! Preferably before we die of starvation waiting,” Emma teased, shouting at the closed doorway.

“Ready Mom, Operation Comic-Con is a go,” Henry called out, and on cue, Regina magically transported Henry to the far end of the hallway, just out of their site line. He wanted to make an entrance, and she was going to make sure he had one.

“Having moms that are magic-users definitely has its perks,” Emma stage whispered as she took Regina’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She took a calming breath, “This is going to be good,” Regina promised. Watching Regina nervously playing with her necklace, Emma realized that Regina was mainly reassuring herself.

“I know … it will be.”

She could hear the rustle of fabric and click of his boots, but Henry had not yet appeared in the main part of the hallway. Henry had been tightlipped about his cosplay, and Emma was eager to see his big reveal. But with no Henry in sight, Emma grumbled, “He gets this from you – you know that, right?” looking at Regina out of the corner of her eye.

“Gets what from me?” Regina scoffed, her arms crossed over her chest in mock offense.

“Being dramatic, you know … grand entry.”

“Have you seen yourself when Granny runs out of bear claws? Talk about dramatic …”

Scoffing, Emma shot back, “That’s not being dramatic ... I’m a public servant, that’s a justifiable reaction to a shortage of an essential product. Somebody has to look out for the public good.”

“I rest my case,” Regina’s lip curled, as she tried not to laugh at Emma’s antics. She could feel herself relaxing, which given Emma’s hand on her back, was probably her intention all along.

“I’m coming, close your eyes Ma,”

“Sealed tight and ready for the big reveal!”

From the other end of the hall, Henry came around the corner. Regina tips her own chin up in silent reminder. Her son drew himself up to his full height, shoulders back, head straight; giving his Mom a thumbs-up. It was game on, and he was ready.

“You can open them now!”

Henry took the first step as his Mom turned Emma back around to face him. It took her mind a moment to catch up with what her eyes were showing her. He could see it in the way her hand flexes around the Spear of Leonidas.

“Holy shit …” Emma exclaimed, taking in Henry’s cosplay, “Oh...My…”

From slightly off to the side, Regina watched Henry intently as the encounter between him and his other mother unfolded. He seemed frozen in place at the end of the hall, staring wide-eyed at Emma, who was cautiously closing the gap between them.

“Henry?!” Emma asks, padding closer. 

“Hi … Ma?” Henry’s voice came out as a mild squeak; his nerves seemingly on fire as he tried to read Emma’s reaction. Suddenly feeling panicked, he caught sight of Regina, who gave him a reassuring nod and gestured for him to breath. She then stepped back; this needed to be between Emma and Henry. She trusted Emma, and she wanted to give her the space to be with Henry on her terms, and not interfere.

He took another deep breath, and told himself that he was ready to share this with Emma. That this moment was so much more than dressing up for a cosplay. This dress represented a turning point in his life.

“Oh. My. God.” Emma repeated, circling behind him. Henry jumped, surprised by how close Emma had gotten.

“Is that a bad or a good Oh-My-God?”

“I...Henry, you look … so you picked the pre-Evil Evil Queen?” finally able to find her words.

“Seemed like a better idea than going full-on-Evil Queen?”

“Yeah…” Emma chuckled, “I-…I definitely get the vibes for sure.”

Henry suddenly looked very young, as he asked Emma, “S-so what do you think?”

“Honestly?”

“Yeah. Honesty would be great right about now,”

“First, I’ve got to see the walk,” Emma demanded, as she snapped her fingers. “If you don’t get the walk right, you’re just a wannabe. Having the bitchy attitude alone won’t do it for you. Anyone can play the bitch; it takes class and sass to be a Queen,”

Sharply exhaling, Henry chuckled nervously, “Class and sass … I think I can handle that.”

Emma rubbed her hands together, then took command, “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going back to stand by your Mom. Regina, you poof Henry back to … well wherever it was you stuck him before.” Turning to Henry, she commanded, “And Henry, this time, I want to see some full-on Queen attitude coming down the hall.”

Happy to set her wife’s plan in motion, Regina snapped her fingers. Henry disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke, reappearing out of sight at the end of the hall.

Emma walked over to Regina, and pulled her into an embrace. “So by any chance, is this what Henry has been talking to you about?” she whispered softly.

Regina nodded, “Yes, I found him in my vault; I’ll fill you in later.” Emma pulled her in tighter, then turned her attention down the hall.

“Hey Kid, I want to see you own the hall.” Emma challenged, her eyes giving away how much she was enjoying this time with Henry.

Coming into sight, Henry paused for just a moment, eyes trained on his moms. Breaking into a broad smile, Regina winked and made the sign for him to lift his chin, while Emma gave him her you-can-do-it nod. They then held their breaths, waiting for Henry to take what promised to be a life-changing walk down their hall.

Henry closed his eyes, visualizing himself swaggering down the hall. Taking a deep breath, he centered himself. As he did, his shoulders fell back, spine straightened; and with his head held high, he began to walk confidently down the hall. With each step, he could feel his own version of the Queen emerge, strong and confident.

When he reached his Mothers, Emma’s face now bore a smile. “You look great, Kid. You nailed the walk,”

“So you’re okay with me going out in this?”

“I’m more than okay with you going to Comic-Con as a Queen, I think it’s great.” Emma touched his cheek, as she added, “But Henry, I want to make sure that you know that I also support you if there is more to this than a cosplay.” 

“Yeah … there is...” Henry frowned, wringing his hands together. 

Emma gently cups his chin, pulling up until their eyes meet. “Hold your head high, Henry. You have nothing to be embarrassed by or sorry for. There’s nothing wrong about you, you're right.” Emma watches as Henry struggles, as if he’s searching for words, but they slip away.

Emma does what she does best – trust her instincts. She pulled him into a tight embrace. As she stroked his back, the velvet of the dress soft under her touch. The way Henry trembled broke her heart. 

“I love you, Henry,” as she continued to tightly hold him.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you right away…” muttering the words in her shoulder.  
“I’m sorry if I in any way made you feel like you couldn’t,” Emma whispered,

“At first, I was scared to tell you and Mom. I didn’t want you guys to be disappointed in me.” His grip on her tightened, needing her arms around him as an anchor.

“After Mom caught me, I knew I should tell you too. But honestly, I just wasn’t ready to talk about it – I didn’t understand it myself. I guess it took some time for me to figure out how to tell you in the way I wanted to do it.”

Emma teared up, “All I want is for you to live the life that makes you happy.”

As she held Henry, Emma felt the warmth of Regina’s hand pressing into her back, caressing it softly, each stroke reminding her how much she loved her son and her wife.

Seeing Regina, Henry pulled back and asked Emma, “Are you okay about Mom knowing about all of this and not telling you? Because I was the one who asked her to not say anything.”

“No, Henry, I’m not upset at all with your Mom … or with you. I really do understand why you waited to tell me. But I do want to talk to your Mom, so could you give us a moment?”

“But are you sure you’re not mad. I really –”

“Henry, I’m not mad … but I just don’t think you’ll want to stay – if you get my drift,” she warned. “I promise, it’s only for a moment. You can even time us, Your Majesty,” 

Throwing some serious teenager Evil Queen shade in her direction, Henry rolled his eyes and huffed away full-on Queen.

Regina settled against the wall as Emma took her hand and gently kissed her palm, slowly and deliberately. “Thank you,” Emma whispers into her hand. Lips trembling.

“For what?” Regina asked, feeling the intensity of the day’s emotions breaking over her, making her feel a bit dizzy.

“For the way that you love Henry, love me, for the wonderful Mother that you are,” Emma’s eyes were sparkling, as she pressed their lips together. Deepening the kiss, Emma groaned, then began to chuckle as she pulled back, watching Regina as she tried to catch her breath.

“We are definitely coming back to this later. For now, we better not keep His Majesty waiting,”

“I hear he is dreadfully impatient.”

Emma flashed her a smart ass grin, “For the record, he gets that from you too…”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Dress Fanmix](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473262) by [A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter)


End file.
